All the dwellings are located in the City of Lisbon in zones close to the Tejo River with scattered vegetation and with few obstructions (buildings or constructions). The set of monitored fractions was composed of 11 residences (located in the penthouse, intermediate and one with external floor), 21 compartments composed of living room and bedroom type environments.

The different solar exposures of the various adopted compartments represents the main orientations. These are 10 compartments with the main glassed facade practically to the south (South, SSE, and SSW), 4 to the west (WNW), 4 to the east (ENE) and 3 to the north (North and NNE). The majority of the environments selected present only one face in contact with the exterior (16 compartments) encompassing the principal solar dispositions.

Navitejo Building Ffertejo Building Alcantara-Rio Building

Fig. 5. Features of flats and compartments selected to study

The majority of the compartments (17) present glazing areas greater than 75% of the corresponding exposed face area (face in which the glass is inserted), in some cases this relation is close to 90%. In terms of floor area the compartment set presents glazing areas of between 15% and approximately 70%, in the majority of these relationships is of 25%-35%. The form factor (FF) varies in the selected sample between 0.1 and 0.5 (16 compartments).

All the fractions present transparent double glass with metal frames, only a fraction of Navitejo building had wood frame. In relation to the exterior shading systems the sample presents systems of the following types: horizontal shading (all buildings), blinds (Alcantara-Rio) and vertical awnings (Pertejo). The wall in contact with the exterior in the Navitejo and Pertejo Building fractions are composed of simple walls with exterior insulation. The thickness of the insulation of the exterior walls and roof are: 30mm in Navitejo, 40mm in Pertejo and 20mm-30mm in Alcantara-Rio.

2. Monitoring

A more detailed appreciation of the buildings were undertaken with the architecture projects (provided by the Studios and respective responsible architects), subsequently the monitoring was implemented during the months corresponding with the summer 2007 and the winter 2007-2008. Dwelling units of the same typology and similar layouts were selected (whenever possible) for the measurements in each of the adopted buildings. As mentioned in the previous section, it was possible to monitor similar apartments with different solar dispositions in different locations of the same building.

During the monitoring temperature and relative humidity sensors were installed (Mini data logger Testostor-175 provided for the study by INETI, normally in the living room and bedroom environments of the residential units selected. The monitoring took place in periods of approximately 15 days. The Data Loggers were positioned so that they would be as centralized as possible in relation to the respective environments being evaluated while not interfering with the resident’s activities. The occupation and utilization pattern of each residential unit was also recorded during the measurements, this information was of relative importance for the interpretation and analysis of the recorded data.

The observations of the external conditions: temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, wind direction and global horizontal radiation were obtained from the INETI Meteorological Station installed in the Solar XXI Building. In this way it became possible to assume the same external conditions for the all housing units with the data from the Meteorological Station INETI, and then obtaining a data and information set that made possible the observation and verification of the thermal performance and comfort levels in the various monitored fractions in summer and winter situations.